[orange4boy]

Probably a quick phone call to the local fire department can answer the question.

I'll do that.

Footers become very important as weight increases and I'm no civil engineer. Those guys get paid big bucks for good reason ... ever try to analyze 'dirt?'

I think dirt is like wood if only in the sense that it is always moving. Wood does come from dirt after all.

I just remembered, I have friend who is a dirt expert/road engineer (can't remember the correct title) Is it civil engineer? Anyway, I haven't talked to him in years but I'm sure he could give me some idea as to footer size/design.

Since the footers should probably be farther from the edge of the embankment, I think I'm going to put the footers in beyond the existing truss ends and then extend the tubes over the pads with some heavier gauge material welded on. That way I don't have to dig under the existing trusses and I get the extra length. Welding is easy and fast.

Thanks for your help Bob.